


Green and Red

by Coryphion



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Christmas Party, Drinking, F/M, Fluff, No Angst, Wine, no reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:14:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28244514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coryphion/pseuds/Coryphion
Summary: Chloe and Lucifer quarrel and make a wager. As a result, Lucifer organizes the annual precinct's Christmas party.The action takes place somewhere between the first and second season. No one knows Lucifer is the devil, but it doesn't matter. He is cute and in denial.Oh, and he is not the only one.
Relationships: Chloe Decker/Lucifer Morningstar
Comments: 2
Kudos: 53





	Green and Red

**Author's Note:**

> Dear Readers, my apologies for everyone waiting for the next chapter of "Phoenix". Instead, this little piece wanted to be written. It is not long, or deep, no drama, no adventure, just some fluff. Actually, I am not certain myself, what is it, except that it is a result of my longing to dress up, go out and meet some people, other than my family. Of course, I won't get it, at least not soon, because of the lockdown. So, I can only dream and write. Stay safe in difficult times!

„There will be Christmas Party at the precinct next Friday, Lucifer,” Chloe read the news from the email she just received. “I guess you are not coming?” she more stated than asked. Hard to expect that the owner of the night club, carefully maintaining the devil’s pose around him, would come to the modest and reasonably boring precinct party. 

The man in question indeed shivered with disgust: “A party in the office? Cheap booze in plastic cups and tacky songs played from the laptop? No thank you.”

Right. Because she forgot how snobbish asshole he was. 

“Christmas parties,” Chloe narrowed her eyes, “are about the atmosphere. About sharing special moments with friends. Not about overpriced drinks or the sound system.”

Lucifer only smirked. “You should see the party we have in Lux. There is sooo much of sharing. Only that it refers not to bodily fluids. But there is plenty of moments,” he clicked his tongue and Chloe rolled her eyes. 

“Gross,” she muttered. “I can see it: the dancers in green-red bikinis covered in glitter handing out candy canes in obscene shapes.”

“But Detective, our dancers would never have the costumes in such tacky set of colours. We stick to shades of red. There is also a lot of lace, but no glitter, thank you. As for the candy canes… I didn’t expect that you are that imaginative. I definitely approve.”

Chloe huffed angrily. “I am not imaginative. I mean… I am, but not… not like this. Anyway, red lace has nothing to do with Christmas. Besides, how is that you throw a Christmas party anyway? You, the big bad devil?” she raised her index fingers mockingly imitating the shape of horns, knowing well, that it would irritate Lucifer. Somehow, he always got irrationally vexed with the references to horns. Or goats. 

This time was no different. The leering expression disappeared from his face and he replied almost angrily: “I can adapt. I have been able to function in many different cultures. I am not some narrow-minded individual, that…”

“Narrow-minded individual?” hissed Chloe. “Are you suggesting that I am narrow-minded?”

“No,” replied Lucifer slowly, “but now, when you said it, I must notice, that you are the one who cannot accept someone having a different way of celebrating that the one you are used to.”

Now that was getting too much. Chloe stood up to face him and, with arms akimbo, started the tirade. “A different way of celebrating? It is not a different way, it is… it is your usual way of everything. And I am not… narrow-minded. If you need to know, in Trixie’s class children are coming from many different… cultural backgrounds. We took part in many different celebrations, and no matter, whether they were…” Chloe interrupted rapidly, realizing that the conversation escalated in a surprising direction, because cultural diversity was not what she wanted to talk about. “I can adapt too,” she concluded awkwardly.

“Lovely. I come to your party and you will come to mine,” proposed Lucifer with a triumphant smile. “We will see, who is better at adapting.”

Chloe blinked. “You would come to the Christmas party at the precinct?” 

Now, that conclusion came as a surprise also for him. He considered it for a moment, his expression fading – doubtlessly at the image of plastic cups filled with cheap bear - until he beamed again. “I have a better idea! I will make it. At the Lux,” he announced with satisfaction. “At least it will be more… classy.”

Chloe heard a few cheers around them and only now realized that their conversation drew the attention of other employees. They seemed to love Lucifer’s idea. She, however, knew better what king of ‘classy’ he could have meant.

“Lucifer, this is a… special celebration,” she muttered through clenched teeth. “You cannot bring strippers, or too much booze, or…” Chloe stopped, before she would give him another occasion to commenting on her imagination.

Someone behind them cleared his throat. “That’s not necessary,” a young officer observed shyly. “The lack of strippers, you know. They are… acceptable.” His remark was followed by a supportive murmur of others.

“It only wouldn’t be fair, if there are only female strippers,” added a feminine voice, most probably Brenda from the accounting. 

Chloe rolled her eyes once again because half of the things Lucifer said or did would send anyone else straight to HR with some serious charges – but, of course, that was Lucifer. He had HR wrapped around his little finger.

He had everyone wrapped around his little finger. 

Now he smiled widely, raising his hands in generous gesture. “My friends, I believe I will be able to give all of you, what you desire. That’s my specialty, after all.”

The cheers grew louder and Chloe shook her head. Wonderful, all the employees would have fun, actually at her expense, because the other part of the deal was that she would have to come to Lucifer’s party, certainly something laud and wild.

Though, on the other hand, it was hardly torture, to be invited to the high-end night club. Rich and popular were fighting to get the invitation.

“So, Detective, do we have a deal?” asked Lucifer, as if he was reading her thoughts. “I will show you, how well I can adjust to your expectations, then you will show me?...” 

He was looking at her intently, the begining of a smile raising the corners of his mouth, and for a second, something in Chloe’s heart fluttered at the realization that he was so excited just because she agreed to play with him.

“Yeah, we do,” she nodded. 

That’s how the annual Christmas event, instead of in the conference room in the precinct, was going to take place at the Lux.

* * *

Till the next Friday, Lucifer didn’t speak much about the preparations to the precinct’s party. Even if Chloe, feeling a bit responsible for the development of the events, tried to get some details, he was very tight-lipped about it. On the other hand, he spoke a lot about the party he usually threw in Lux. This in different shades of red and a lot of lace.

“You need to know what to expect so that you could… adapt,” he remarked with a truly devilish smirk in his eye.

 _What have I gotten myself into?_ thought Chloe shaking her head, but her exasperation was mostly faked. As the matter of fact, she didn’t mind having some fun. Most of her social events were school-related – usually the birthdays of other children in Trixie’s group – and now, all of the sudden, she was going to participate in two adult-only occasions. 

For the precinct’s party, she bought a dress in the lovely shade of green. It was a bit more official than something she would usually wear for such event, but she wanted to show Lucifer, that Christmas party was not about sexy Snowflakes in frumpy costumes. She also added a red scarf, just to irk him for speaking with such disdain about this set of colours, and plaited her hair in French braids, ending in a chignon. 

“You look lovely, Mommy!” gasped Trixie, who loved braids. “Like a princess.”

“Very nice indeed,” commented Penelope, who was asked to stay with Trixie, as Dan was also going to the party. “Though perhaps a bit stiff. Didn’t you say you are going to the night club?”

“Yes, I did,” muttered Chloe. “But it is going to be adapted for the evening.”

The words returned to her a bit later, when she entered the Lux. Chloe would never expect, that the club would be… adapted to such extend. Surprised, she stopped in the entrance, taking in it all. The modern club looked like a ballroom from the Christmas postcards. Usually dim inside was well-lit and decorated in green, red and gold. The spruce and hawthorn garlands were hanging from the ceiling, fastened by golden ribbons and on the walls were fastened chandeliers with candles.

Most of the tables were placed under the walls and the podiums for dancers disappeared. Chloe recognized a few of them helping as waitresses. There were dressed in Santa Claus costumes, in long-sleeve jackets and hats. 

The room was already filled with her co-workers. Even from the threshold, the detective saw, that the atmosphere was much better than usual during such gatherings. People were laud and at ease, and the room was filled with a merry noise. And yes, Chloe was a bit overdressed, as the other women wore more revealing clothes, or totally revealing, like Brenda from the accounting in some barely-there sequin rug. However, she didn’t mind it, too delighted with the view in front of her eyes.

It was definitely the loveliest Christmas party she had ever seen. 

And the scent in the air!... The garlands smell with spruce, the candles with wax and honey and there was also a distinctive aroma of wine warmed with spices. Chloe closed her eyes, to feel it better. Cinnamon, cloves, oranges…

“Detective? As you can see, it is quite a decent party. No bikinis,” quipped Lucifer, standing by her side.

“It is wonderful,” she replied sincerely. “I should have known that you know how to match the occasion after you organized that charity event, but this is even better. All the people would remember it as the nicest Christmas party we have ever had at the precinct.”

“All the people including a certain Detective?”

Chloe blinked because it sounded almost as if he was fishing for complements. Lucifer Morningstar, the most eccentric performer in the city, searching approval in her eyes? Impossible. After all, he didn’t organize it for her, right? He wanted to show off and prove his point, that’s all.

“Lucifer, I certainly…” she started, turning to him, but forgot what she wanted to say, shocked with a new realization. 

“Lucifer, are you wearing green and red?” she asked quite stupidly, because it was quite evident. The intensely red shirt was no surprise, but he was also wearing a suit in an unusual, deep shade of green.

“Yes, you have no idea how long it took to find the shades that wouldn’t her the eyes together,” he sighed with exasperation.

“Well, yes, you do not hurt the eyes,” commented Chloe, quite awkwardly, but her mouth suddenly went dry. _Certainly not. It was unfair, how good he looked in anything._

“Thank you, Detective. Your dress is also…”

“Aww, guys, you match! That’s so sweet!” gushed Ella Lopez, looking at them with delight. She held a glass of wine in hand and had a hawthorn branch in her hair. “You are so cute together.”

“Miss Lopes, I assure you – the devil is not cute,” retorted Lucifer through clenched teeth. “Handsome, yes. Charismatic. Impressive. Sexy, of course. But…”

“Yes, yes, all that too,” agreed Ella immediately, her smile getting wider. “You are just lovely. You too, Chloe. You are like the queen and the king of the prom. I love you both.” She opened her arms and then closed them around the detective. 

“How strong is this wine?” muttered Chloe to Lucifer, hugging the scientist back. 

“Quite strong. Only the best stuff. You have to try it. Have fun,” replied quickly Lucifer and retreated, because Ella was already turning to him, to give him his the same hugging treatment.

“Oh, he is gone,” sighed Ella with disappointment. “Never mind. There is plenty of nice people here. Let’s meet them all.” 

She got a glass of wine for Chloe and forced her to try it. The drink was strong, sweet and smelled with spices. _Delicious,_ thought Chloe, but remembering Lucifer’s warning, she decided to remain by one glass. 

They circled around the room, talking with people and exchanging wishes. Usually, Chloe felt awkward reciting half-hearted wishes to people she barely knew, This time, however, it was different, because Ella, warmed by the wine and her usual sunny disposition, was ready to make friends with everyone. Chloe held herself back, but she was having fun too. The place was lovely, the drink in her hand warm and sweet and all the people around were smiling and joking.

Finally, the music got a bit louder and a few first couples started to dance. Ella immediately drifted to the dance floor, trying to pull Chloe with her, but the detective quickly excused herself. She would need to drink much more, to have the courage to dance in front of her work colleagues. 

Instead, she checked the tables with the snacks. The Lux was never serving much of the food, but this time there was an assortment of sweets and fruits waiting for the guests. Chloe took a little chocolate with an orange filling and enjoyed a taste, thinking that it was the best Christmas party she had ever been to.

Everything was just… perfect.

Except for one thing. 

Music. 

With a sudden frown, Chloe realized, that the music sounding in the club was something nice and atmospheric, but not the classic jams for this time of the year. She didn’t expect to hear anything too traditional in the Lux, but there were Christmas songs in each style and type, and yet Lucifer didn’t choose any of it.

It could have been an accident, and yet Chloe felt it mattered. Lucifer always communicated the most important things through music. She wanted to ask him about it, but when she spotted him, he was surrounded by the little crowd of cheering guests. Brenda was keeping a hand on his shoulder, trying to manoeuvre herself under his arm and Lieutenant Monroe was listening to his jokes, giggling like a schoolgirl. Chloe wouldn’t probably be able to push her way to him through this fan club. 

_Later_ , she thought, slightly disappointed, that he was having so much fun without her. 

Not that she counted for anything else. He was still a snobbish asshole and, with his eccentric lifestyle, definitely not boyfriend material and she… she was the finalizing her divorce.

Speaking of which… Chloe noticed her almost ex-husband walking toward her and took a big gulp of the sweet wine, to muster courage before the incoming conversation. The last year was difficult between them – and understatement of the year – but still, it was Christmas season and she wanted to remain civil, especially today.

“Merry Christmas, Dan. Are you having a good time?” she said as kindly as she could, hoping, that he wouldn’t be in the mood to quarrel. 

“Chloe… You are standing under the mistletoe,” he said dimly. 

“Do I?” asked absently Chloe, checking her watch. It was still early, and yet Dan, who usually had a high tolerance to alcohol, was already tipsy.

“Yes. Perhaps, for the sake of the old days…” his eyes flickered between the green branches and her mouth.

“Oh, God, what was in that wine?...” sighed Chloe. “No Dan, you do not want to kiss me under the mistletoe. It is better not to do that in the middle of a divorce, right?”

“But…”

“No buts. What’s more, I also do not want to kiss you under the mistletoe. And nowhere else, to be precise.”

“An excellent choice of location, Detective!” chirped Lucifer, swiftly stepping between her and Dan. “None it is. I am afraid, however, that you were wrong about Detective Douche. He would very much like to kiss you, under the mistletoe or anywhere else. Though, sometimes we need to suit us with the second-best, right? Daniel, unlucky in love, lucky in cards, or so they say.”

“No, actually it goes the other way around,” frowned Dan. “Something like…”

“Never mind. Listen, there is a room behind the bar, where few of your colleagues just started a very dynamic round of cards. I am sure you would love to join it.”

For a moment, Dan appeared a bit confused, until he beamed in a smile. “Yes. Yes, I would.”

Because of course, he did love cards. That was not a secret and certainly, Lucifer must have heard about it, but still, it was impressive, that he remembered. Chloe for a moment looked behind him, before turning her attention to Lucifer. “Do you keep doing that all the time? Reading, what people want?”

Lucifer shrugged his shoulders. “Kind of a habit, I guess. It is in my blood. Hard to stop. Of course, you are the exception. I can only wonder, and try to guess, what you want. The satisfaction is even bigger when I manage.”

Somehow, they both looked around the festively decorated club. This time Chloe, for a short second, let herself enjoy the idea, that perhaps he really did it all just for her, to her taste, so that she could have this evening just the way she liked, or rather just the way she always imagined how such events should look like…

“I wanted to ask you about the songs,” she blurted out suddenly.

“The songs?”

“Yes. I realized that you do not use… any… Christmas jams. You know, these songs that are played in the supermarkets all the time,” she tried to quip, to cover the awkwardness of growing in the air between them. “Are they too cheesy for your taste, or…”

“I don’t like their words,” replied Lucifer curtly.

“You don’t…”

_Ah. Shit._

Of course, that he didn’t. All that happy Christmas chirping was about spending time with family and friends. And Lucifer… it was no secret, that there was something terribly wrong in Lucifer’s family relations. Actually, apart from Maze, he also didn’t have that many friends. At least not the kind you would sat behind the Christmas table.

“I am sorry. I am so sorry,” she stuttered quickly. “I have been so thoughtless.”

“You?...”

“That was very selfish of me, to force you to do all this,” she said honestly, pointing at the club. “I should have remembered that you… that your family…”

“Oh, that, Detective, no, you didn’t,” Lucifer turned to her with the most beautiful smile she has ever seen on his face. “I mean yes, I don’t like being reminded of what I do not have, and yes, I do find the pictures of family bliss bombarding us constantly at this time of the year unrealistic and… disturbing, but you didn’t force me to do anything. I am feeling good with… you… and your colleagues. You are the closest thing to family I had since a long time.”

“Really?...” blinked Chloe. His words were so touching, and he said it so nicely, that she had to wipe the tear threatening to escape her eye. 

“Yes,” nodded Lucifer, not letting his sight from her. “Perhaps next year I will even air some of these cheesy jams. With words. For this, I am grateful to you.”

Chloe smiled through tears, ready to do something stupid, like cry and hug him, when Lucifer added suddenly, in a much lighter tone:

“Oh, and, as for mistletoe…” he reached and picked the green branch from the decoration on the wall and Chloe couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Of course, just when she was ready to admit, that he was not a snobbish, childish asshole after all, he had to spoil it with that old number with raising the mistletoe over their heads and…

Lucifer raised the hand with the green branch and fastened it into Chloe’s braid. 

“Here. So that you could kiss whomever you like, anytime you want.”

_Oh. That was… so..._

Chloe’s heart melted entirely. Without thinking, she tiptoed and placed a chaste, but not that quick kiss on his mouth.

And then she felt terribly stupid, not sure where to look and what to do, so she quickly emptied her glass.

Lucifer stood dumbfounded, staring at her as if he had never been kissed by anyone before. Actually, the shock on his face was a bit surprising, considering that he was proposing her much more intensive carnal activities at least a few times a day. The silence between them stretched becoming unbearably awkward when suddenly the new song started and the music grew louder and quicker.

“Uhm… would you dance with me?” he asked, pointing at the dancing floor.

“Sorry, no. I am not dancing. I just… I am not good at it,” Chloe shook her head, but perhaps she shouldn’t have, because at this moment the wine she drank hit her, making her warm and dizzy and surprisingly happy. It didn’t take much persuasion from Lucifer’s side to change her mind - actually, he said only something like ‘are you sure?’ and she replied ‘no’ - and go with him to the dancing floor, the warmth from the wine, or maybe from his touch, spreading through her body. 

After that, Chloe remembered the night as the blur of lights and music, with occasional more distinct recollections of a few particular scenes. 

She danced a lot, with a few partners, but mostly with Lucifer. That was because this green jacket was very nice to the touch. That was something she remembered well, how nice it was. 

All that dancing made her thirsty and, at first, Chloe was reasonable enough to reach for water, not wine. However, the water didn’t go that well with chocolates and oranges. Wine, by contrast, did.

It was, probably, because of the wine, that Chloe didn’t exactly remember how she started the conversation with Brenda from the accounting, who said to her something about setting her cap at Lucifer and not letting others have their chance. That sounded stupid because Lucifer was one big walking chance for everyone (not that Chloe liked it) and generally the conversation developed in a rather unpleasant way. However, Ella was there too and did something even more unpleasant with the very thin strap of Brenda’s dress. The situation was saved by Maze, who, with a shark-like smile took Brenda upstairs, to help her order her clothes and none of them was seen this evening again.

And then the lights got dimmed, the music got sweeter, the waitresses took off their jackets revealing fancy corsets and the whole party slowly drifted in the direction the office parties in the night clubs usually take.

“I am sorry,” sighed Chloe, looking at Lucifer apologizingly. “What I told you about our precinct parties was more pompous than true. It usually ends like this, with people getting drunk and having sex in the bathroom. Only that I do not stay that long. I usually go home before midnight.”

“Oh, so you cannot go home now,” protested Lucifer. “It is long past midnight. You need to stay.”

That sounded perfectly logical, so Chloe stayed. 

More precisely, she stayed with Lucifer, in one of the more secluded booths, listening to him whisper in her ear things that made her blush. He must have also been just a little bit drunk because these were much more innocent compliments than the countless innuendos he usually showered her with: something about the lovely colour of her dress and her eyes being like green jewels. It was all quite unexpected, and intriguing, and Chloe moved closer, to hear him better.

“Ella, am I doing something stupid?” she asked, noticing the grinning scientist in front of them.

“Noo-o,” replied Ella, her smile getting wider, but she kept taking photos, so it didn’t sound entirely credible. 

“Oh, I am so much going to regret it tomorrow,” sighed Chloe in a moment of clarity.

“Nonsense,” objected Lucifer. “You are having fun, are you not? You must admit, Detective, that I have proven myself.”

“Yes, you did. But I am not giving up, you know? There is my chance at your party next week and I am going to take up a challenge.”

“Oh, Detective, I would be disconsolate, if you didn’t,” purred Lucifer and maybe he sneaked his arm around her, or maybe not – there was no one to tell, because Ella Lopez fell asleep with her head on the table.

* * *

The next week at work started with a certain awkwardness, because Chloe couldn’t help but wonder, how many stupid things had she done under the deceptive influence of the sweet red wine. However, Lucifer, who usually didn’t let any of her slips live down, this time remained unusually restrained, so with each passing day, she relaxed more and more.

Of course, she had these moments of doubts – or of reason – when she wanted to back off because it would be the wisest way to do – but it would be unsportsmanlike, wouldn’t it? After all, it was a deal. A competition.

So, when the next Friday came, she clothed in the second dress she bought, the red one, making sure to put her coat on before Dan came to stay with Trixie. Of course, the coat was still unbuckled, giving him enough view of the piece of garment to comment on it.

“Nice dress, Chlo,” he said with a grimace. “Red. And short.”

“Yeah,” replied the detective, not bothering to say anything else, because it wasn’t his business, really.

When she arrived at the Lux, the wave of doubts – or reason – washed over her again and she might have chickened out, after all. However, Lucifer was, quite unusually, hovering around in the hall near the entrance and spotted her immediately.

“Detective!...” he beamed in a contagious smile. “You came! For a moment, I thought, you may have changed your mind.”

“Never,” muttered Chloe. “I have to see all that lace.”

Lucifer reached for her coat and she unbuckled it, feeling slightly self-conscious, while slipping the coat off her shoulders - because her red dress, quite modest in the front, was practically backless, the neckline diving deep from her shoulders baring most of her back. It was far from her comfort zone and cost her some nerves, to put on and go out in something so revealing, but the impression she made on Lucifer was worth it.

“De-tec-ti-ive!” he almost whined, staring at her back. “I… you…”

“What? I can adapt to,” the detective shrugged her shoulders, pretending nonchalance.

“So you do,” sighed Lucifer. He pushed her coat to some passing employee, his eyes never leaving her. “And now what? I would have to stay with you all evening, to make sure that you wouldn’t get into any trouble. You know, with your adaptive skills…” He reached to lead her inside, unusually shyly hesitating before touching her naked skin.

“Oh, such a nuisance,” Chloe pitied with feigned regret, whereas she secretly enjoyed his consternation. “So what, are we even?”

“It would seem so… unless we would… extend our little deal?” Lucifer frowned, looking at her in consideration. “You know so that I would have… another chance to prove myself? Is there something I could do to outdone your stunning performance?”

Chloe pretended to wonder. In the meantime, they entered the club, filled with people, lights and music and she had to tiptoe, so that he would hear her. “I don’t know, perhaps a Christmas family dinner? But you know, real family dinner. With my mother and perhaps also Dan.”

“Sounds terrible. However, I am willing to give it a try,” nodded Lucifer. “Everything for the contest, you know.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you wonder, what happened with Brenda from accounting, she is fine. After that memorable party, she came out as bi, with more preference toward women, more precisely, dominating brunettes. She said, she always had it in herself. She only needed some impulse to realise it.


End file.
